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Crashed Robinson R44 helicopter found in Tver region, pilot dead

The Robinson R44 departed from the settlement of Gorodnya in the Konakovo district at 17:00 Moscow time on November 18
Screenshot Russia-24
Screenshot Russia-24

TVER, November 27 (Itar-Tass) —— After a week’s search, the private Robinson R44 helicopter reported missing since November 18 in the Tver region in central European Russia, has finally been found. Its pilot is dead, a spokesman for the local emergencies administration told Itar-Tass on Saturday.

The helicopter was found in a bog near the village of Litvintsevo. The helicopter is resting on a piece of solid land in a peat bog, a local resident who took part in the search operation, told Itar-Tass. “After the crash, the helicopter must have been turning around for 70 to 80 meters, falling to pieces as it did,” he noted.

The pilot’s dead body was found among the helicopter fragments. He was identified as Redkino Experimental Plant Director Yevgeny Kurbatov, 51. The identification was done by his son.

According to preliminary data, the helicopter might have crashed because it had run of fuel.

The Russian Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) confirmed reports about the pilot’s death.

The Robinson R44 departed from the settlement of Gorodnya in the Konakovo district at 17:00 Moscow time on November 18. It was supposed to fly to Orshinskiye Bolota and back. The pilot made no contact with the tower. The helicopter emergency buoy activated at 19:15 Moscow time.